to furnish us with expression So now the point remaining true for all this That men destitute of the Spirit having Human-Learning doe pervert the Scriptures to their own destruction This in the first place may teach Vse 1 All men that are without Gods Spirit how wise and learned otherwise they seem to be to beware of medling with the Scriptures it is the worst work that possibly they can undertake for in so doing they meddle with that in which they have no skill and so wound themselves for it is a sharpe two edged sword and they having no skill to handle it to be sure it will dangerously wound them to their own destruction but seeing the truth is so as that they have neither eares to heare nor hearts to understand it therfore I will thus passe it over and Vse 2 In the next place take notice that such persons without Gods Spirit whatever they be else yet they be both unlearned and unstable men according to the mind of God so the * 1 Cor. 14.24 unbeleever is called of Paul an unlearned man and so much in effect ‡ Iam 1.6 7.8 Iames tells us of a Faithlesse mans inconstancie that he is tost about like a wave and is unstable in all his wayes of Religion for indeed wanting the Spirit to establish him he is driven hither and thither of every blast and breath of mans wisdome and so much experience without any more Scriptures dayly proves upon every change of orders and ordinances of Religion how confident have many wise worldly Learned men bin of their stability for being brought to yeeld to this or that when as the raging wave of the Sea hath roared but a little how have these men fallen from their supposed stability and stedfastnes so that instances I need not name every ones small experience can bring forth enough but from all this there is given us to see the Scriptures fullfilled before our eyes for our confirmation and their just conviction Vse Now in the next place I will manifest in some few particulars how these learned men but according to Peters intent unlearned men do pervert the Scriptures making their interpretations as carnall as themselves for whenas the Scriptures speake of learning and so by it do for the most part commend unto us the learning of the Spirit of Truth as before we have seen from this text and many more places these persons presently apply them to Human-Learning and the texts are all by them wrested and perverted and in this kind many Instances might further be aledged First concerning the Church whereas the Scriptures doe authorize Christians to gather themselves together in Christs name and so have the ‡ Mat. 18.20 promise of Gods presence in so doing This they presently deny to be the intent of the place and say it is to be meant of two or three come together in performance of prayer or such like contrary to the scope of the place which treats only of such as are in Church-order and have committed to them the power of binding and loosing which the promise of Christ Iesus his approving of the same by them and besides where in the Scriptures is Christ Iesus said to be in the midst of any but his ‡ Lev. 26.11.12 2 Cor 6.16 Ps 132.14 Rev. 13.1 Rev 2.1 Churches And further whereas the Scriptures speake of the Church Temple and house of God applying these savings to beleevers and such as are § 2 Cor. 6.16 with Heb. 3.6 with 1 Pet. 2.5 built upon Christ by faith these they wrest and pervert in applying these titles to their houses of lime and stone calling them the houses of God and Temples for him to dwell in though the Scriptures be plaine to the contrary as Stephen declared to the * Act. 7.47 to 50. Councel long agoe and that from the testimony of the ‡ Isay 66.1 Prophet long before and so our ‡ Ioh. 4.21 Saviour himselfe to the Woman of Samaria denying for the time to come any such places as the Jewes and the Samaritans doted on but tells her and us that spirituall service in § Mat. 18.20 any place as he saith himselfe should please him though it will noâ— give carnall men content Likewise are not the Scriptures alledged frequently by these learned men for the nation and people for being the Church of God and for the same end nationall observances as an High Priest consecrated and set apart for the services of the Church and so under him the rest of the holy Priests with their holy garments and tythes and such like for their maintenance and for this purpose the Scriptures alledged in a most plentifull manner both from the Law and the Prophets for the justifying of their names orders and administrations whenas if it be spâ—ritually discerned and the Scriptures not wrested nor perverted it wil be found true as Peter †Act. 10.14.15 saith ‡̶ Rev. 13.7 with Rev. 16.19 that noâ— every Nation nor any more any Nation but in every Nation them that feare the Lord and none other are accepted of him Wheras Christ Iesus himself hath told us that the Psalm 125. Psalm 1. beast should have power over every kindred nation and tongue and that the nationall Cities should fall wheras Mount Sion the City of God shall never be moved as saith the ‡ Heb. 12. Prophet and also the Apostle by this then it appeares that all such Scriptures as are alledged for the maintenance of a Nationall Church are perverted Seeing that long since the Lord hath rejected it Now accounting a Company of Saints in fellowship with himselfe to be Mount ‡ Rev. 14 1. â—sal 14.9 from 6 to 9. that shall never be moved and these he hath made § Rev. 1.6 and 5.10 1 Pet. 2.9 Kings and Priests to God The like we may see in the Ministers of the Church seeing that they were of old time in that Church to be honourable persons in outward honour and esteem for their names Priests for their callings above the rest of the people a distinct body of themselves for their apparell different in their administrations from other of the people and so for their maintenance by tythes and offerings all which had a respect to Christ and were in him to have their end as the Apostle †Gal. 4.12 declares as being but worldly rudiments Yet these men though they professe themselves Ministers of Iesus Christ and under the Gospell yet Childlike as under tutors and governours doe yet observe these things after the rudiments of the world and so sutably to the Gospell cannot abide to approve themselves to be Ministers of Christ by such marks as his word affords as we have * 2 Cor. 6. from â— to 10. before considered but they must be men of honour and such as be distinct from others in their apparell maintenance and such like dishonour and reproach and nakednesse
you have others that the Scripture speaks not any otherwise then by the * Rev. 17.3 names of blasphemy But for the power and worke of the Ministry which you say is answerable to that of the Apostles by your gathering of the Saints together taking it for granted that you say from what do you convert them If from the power of darknesse as you would seem to imply into the Kingdome of Christ as ‡ Col. 1.13 did the Apostle then by your own grant in the power of darknesse you found them and the truth is that where you found them there you leave them when you found them before their conversion you professed of them that they were regenerate and born anew to what then do you convert them or have you conversion after regeneration you also bade these persons before to take and eate in remembrance that Christ dyed for them and foâ—give them the seales of life and salvation and yet after all this you being ministers to them come to justifie the truth of your Ministry by your conversion of these people that have by these things no need of amendment and yet when all is done that you plead for they still abide in the same Church under the same Ministry in the same worship that they were conversant in before whenas I have declared before that whenas the Apostles converted any those converts left their former places turning from dumb Idols to serve the living God Now it hath been long since acknowledged and professed that the Worship of your Church and the Ministry of it came out of the Popes shop and must needs be reformed or else the judgement of God cannot but light upon you as hath bin manifested in the first and second admonition to the Parliament in the dayes of Queen Elizabeth and all know that yet it continues the same that then it was and if it were so bad then as it is reported that a thousand Ministers said it was small cause have any to plead conversion whenas they shall continue in such abhominations as that the plagues of God cannot by their own confession be withheld seeing that the Scriptures and Spirit of God teacheth us that the * Psalm 119.101 feare of the Lord teacheth mâ—n to refrain their feet from every evill way and to cleanse our selves from alâ— filthinesse both of flesh and spirit and to grow up unto full holinesse in the feare of God or the worship of God as our Saviour ‡ Mat. 4. 2 Cor. 2.1 interprets it and to hate the very ‡ Iude 23. garment spotted by the flesh Now these things well considered it will appeare that the several Scriptures that are continually brought for the maintenanc of your Ministry are but as so many flourishes by which the word of truth is wrested and wringed like to a nose of wax contrary to their proper intents and scopes to serve your own turnes which who they be of you or others that are the perverters of them God knows and one day will judge betwixt the righteous and the wicked and give to every one according as his workes shall be In the mean while to me it appeares plain that men destitute of Gods holy Spirit be they as learned as may be in Mans-Learning yet they do pervert all Scriptures to their own destruction whenas the unlearned one simple men and women having the Spirit of truth in them shall rightly know them and Gods mind in them for their great comfort 4 Vse Again seeing this is so that such men do thus pervert the Scriptures this should provoke all that are made able Ministers of the Spirit as saith the § 2 Cor. 3.2 Apostle that they take the same Apostles †1 Tim. 4.6 advise saying if thou put the Bretheren in remembrance of these things thou shalt be a good Minister of Iesus Christ If thou put the Bretheren in remembrace of these things What things those things mentioned ‡̶ from the 1. verse before how that the Spirit hath foretold of Doctrines of Devils how that men should speeake lyes through hypocrisie c. as Zachary also foretold that the * Zach. 13.3 Father and Mother of the Prophet should say that he told them lyes in the name of the Lord If thou put the Bretheren in remembrance of these things because they are subject to forget them and thou shouldest be their remembrancer which if thou do thou shalt be a good Minister of Iesus Christ which hast bin nourished up in the words of faith and good doctrine then marke these things are not errors nor lyes nor he a false-teacher that speakes of them but a good Minister that hath bin nourisht up in faith and good doctrine which was continually taught of Paul and heard of Timothy and to this is to be added what the Apostle * Tim 6.3.4 saith further in this matter declaring that he that consenteth not to wholsome doctrine that is according to godlines is puft up and knows nothing but dotes about words and is such a one as is so farre corrupted by the flesh as that he is to be separated from Therfore Gods good Ministers as we see should be carefull of these things as knowing of whom they shall receive their reward and what shal also be their portion from men of the world in that which is ‡ Rev. 11.7 death in the world but ‡ Rev. 14.13 life with the Lord Be Faithfull therfore to the death and you shall have a § Rev. 2.10 5 Vse crown of life declaring the power of the Spirit of the Lord in you Now in the last place I will conclude with the exhortation of the †2 Pet. 3.17.18 Apostle in the words following Ye therfore beloved seeing ye know these things before what things among others those that worldly learned men are Gods unlearned men being destitute of his Spirit beware and take heed least ye also aswell as others you being subject to it be plucked away before you be aware into the errour of the wicked to thinke that Gods Mysteries cannot be attained to by mans learning and so you fall from your own stedfastnes which is ‡ Rom. 11. through Faith for by Faith ye stand and by the Spirit for by it ye are also ‡ Psalm 51. establisht and for a preservative against this errour as opposite to it grow and increase in the grace of God and the knowledge of the Lord Iesus Christ which is that that will preserve you from errour Now to Him be glory not to us nor to Man but to Him our Lord Iesus Christ both now and for evermore Amen I SAY 44.25 The Lord frustrateth the tokens of the lyars and maketh diviners mad turneth wise men backward and maketh their knowledge foolishnesse FINIS
a meere naturall man may be a great worldly Learned man as were the Aegyptians and Babylonians and as are many of the Romish Priests and Jesuites therfore for this cause that is not the learning here meant 4. Because such of Gods servants as have had such kind of learning when as they came to know Christ they forsook it all 4 Reason as Moses when he came to age though he was ‡ Act. 7.22 learned in all the wisdome of the Aegyptians yet by Faith he forsooke all the treasures of Aegypt and this being one of Aegypts treasures he forsooke this also for when he saith treasures there none is excepted therfore in asmuch as learning was one aswell as riches and honours he forsook that also as seeing by Faith a better treasure in the worst condition among the people of God then in the best condition in the world suppose it be learning The like is to be seen in Paul who counted all things losse and dung that he might winne Christ even the righteousnesse of the Law it selfe which is farre beyond all this and all this he did that he might know him Wherein the Apostle gives me to understand that all such things were but hinderances to keep him from the knowledge of Christ to salvation which is it that here I mind also therfore likewise this is not the learning here meant seeing it was rejected of them therfore it was no help nor furtherance to them to know Christ by but lets and hinderances and so much appeares by those converts in Acts 19.18 19. Who when they beleeved are said such of them as used curious Arts to burn their Books declaring that now they had met with learning of farre greater worth then their curious Arts and therfore now they burn their Books declaring that now they had no more need of them and so I conclude that such as this is not the learning here meant What Learning it is I now come to manifest what Learning it is the Apostle here intended Now the learning here intended by the Apostle it is as I understand That sound knowledge and sure information that every Christian hath in Iesus Christ Col. 2.7 whereby he is so deeply rooted and so surely grafted into him by Faith as that he abides unmoveably setled in him Ephe. 3.17.18 as therby he abides stable in the sure knowledge and understanding of the word of Christ and so much here me thinks the Apostle gives us to understand 1 Pet. 2.6 how that the unlearned they be unstable then on the contrary the learned they are stable beleeving and being layd on the true Foundation they shall never be confounded or ashamed Now such as these are that are learned as the truth is in Iesus these may well say to the greatest worldly learned ones as Philip said to the Eunuch Vnderstandest thou what thou readest and not onely so but such may teach them the understanding of the mystery saying these are taught and instructed by the teachings of the Spirit of God agreeable to these Scriptures * 1 Cor. 2.10 That it hath not entred into the heart of man to conceive of that which God by his Spirit which searcheth the deep things of God hath reavealed unto us And this the Apostle further explaines that as no man knows the things of a man save the spirit of a man which is in him so the things of God knows no man no not a worldly learned man but by the Spirit of God and so he goes on to difference the spirit of the world from Gods Spirit and shewes that that is it wherby the things of God are known and also manifested to others so that all the things of God both for matter and manner flow from the wisdome of Gods Spirit and not what mans wisdome teacheth which is to compare spirituall things and carnall things together as tongues and arâ—s and such like but Gods Spirit teacheth us to compare spirituall things with spirituall things and so he goes on and declares that onely such that are taught by the Spirit are capable of true discerning of spiritual things without being justly condemned of any as truly having the mind of Christ rightly and truly knowing the things that are of God and with this agrees the witnes of Iohn * 1 Ioh. 2.26.27 saying these things have I written unto you concerning them that deceive you wherby it appeares they had deceivers about them and those things were written concerning such But saith the Apostle in opposition to their deceivings ye have received the Anoynting of him that dwells in you and this anoynting that they had received doth he oppose to their deceiving as being able throughly to teach them so as that they needed not that any man teach them save as that anoynting taught them then seeing that that anoynting never did teach them such tongues or arts as were humane therfore the Saints by the Apostles grant had not need of any such learning and yet this anoynting taught all truth and obedience in it also And yet further our ‡ Ioh. 16.7 with 13. Saviour himselfe concludes this point shewing that when he hath sent the Comforter the Spirit of Truth to them that then he shall leade them into all truth whence I doe conclude that for the Disciples knowledge of the truth there was no more necessary according to the mind of him that was Truth but the Spirit of God to lead them into all truth without all errour teaching by no humane meanes the Reason why is rendered because it is sufficient and that is because it speakes from the Father agreeable to that of our Saviour taken from the Prophet that ‡ Ioh. 6.45 we shall be all taught of God and so indeed being taught of the Spirit we are taught of the Ftther and the Sonne also which are all one and so our learning comes to us being taught of the Father Sonne and Spirit for all our Instructers and Councellers and this is all the learning that we need to know the things that are of God by agreeable to his will so from these words thus interpreted the Conclusion comes to this Proposition That such as are taught by the Spirit of God destitute of Humane-Learning are the Learned ones that truly understand the Scriptures according to Peters mind I say such as are taught by the Spirit without Humane-Learning are such persons as rightly understand the Word And this me thinks the whole Councel of Ierusalem as wicked as they were did in effect conclude § Act. 4.13.14 considering Peter and Iohn though unlearned men yet they knew they had been with Iesus by their boldnesse and so they had nothing to say against it and yet though men should oppose it Christ Iesus our Lord * Luk. 10.21.24 Justifies it with great thankfullnesse to his Father that having hid these sâ—ings from the wise and prudent he had revealed them to babes Now that
it doth further appeare by the 13th Chap. and the 3. verse that it was so great power and glory as that all the world wondered and admired it and yet this Iesus Christ accounts a great wo and plague to them Rev. 16.10.11 Now part of this woe I beleeve is this learning which we have here in question for as we have before manifested the Sun light of the Gospel of Iesus Christ alows not for the glory of Christs Doctrine is that it is of the Spirits teaching for when we behold the glory of the Lord in the most perfectest measure 2 Cor. 3.12 so as we are changed thereinto from glory to glory yet all is from the Spirit of the Lord seeing that he is the promised Comforter that is to teach us all good things belonging to our perfection Then it must needs follow that is a smokey power and glory flowing from the Kingdome of Sathan and so a part of the tayle that the § Rev. 12.4 Dragon drew the Starres withall after him and hence comes it to passe that now instead of the Spirits teaching according to Peters prophesie here are a generation that doe arise 2 Pet. 2.1 which privily bring in damnable errours and so for that end forsaking the Spirit of truth they speake lyes through hypocrisie 1 Tim. 4.2 as Paul also witnesseth they should doe pretending now that the true and right way for understanding the Scriptures and mind of God was that men for that end must learne a part from others onely for that worke and so to be taught in Tongues and divers Languages and have their wits exercised in Arts and Sciences humane and so such a flourish beares this in mans conceit as that it seems the onely way that can be for a man to be made fit for this worke so that before while the Angels kept their station in heaven the Spirits simple teaching was judged sufficient without these things for this worke they now being fallen from thence to the earth Rev. 9.2 and having the key of the bottomlesse pit thence it being opened now ariseth up * See Iohn Bale on Rev. 9.1 Plato and Aristotle and a multitude more of Heathen Philosophers These are the foure Angels that stand on the foure corners of the earth holding the foure winds that they should not blow on the Earth neither on the Sea neither on any Tree Rev. 7.1 as being those that have the whole power of Preaching in their hand not suffering any to blow but who they please and so doe withold the truth in unrighteousnesse Rom. 1.18 declalaring thereby they be under the wrath of God and they seem to yeeld these Starrey Principles very fitting in their own understanding better to furnish them with fitnesse to open the mind of God then His Spirit can doe whereas before whenas the perfect teachings of the holy Spirit was in force these men of all others were by reason of their learning and wisdome the most untutablest men that were in the world for the receiving of the truth as appeares by the testimony of Luke Act. 1.18 and is not yet for all the great Sun light of the glorious Gospel of Christ which these men professe they have these blacke smokey principles still so stiffly stood for as that there is no removing of men from the high conceit that they have of them And doth not this sufficiently declare as the Apostle saith that God hath blinded the minds of men so as they cannot see but are so much the blinder because they say they see and hence came it to passe 2 Cor. 4.4 Ioh. 9.41 that I for mentioning Plato and Aristotle and such like was demanded how I came by the knowledge of that Object if not by Human-Learning with contempt cast upon it as if that which I had from them being Humane Learned Men was of it selfe sufficient to overthrow the matter which I had there delivered Answ I answered then as I doe still it was none other but as Paul mentioned to the Athenians their own Poets and yet for all that he was as great an enemy to Human-Learning as I and greater too Act. 17 And it is to be minded as I have before declared that I doe not oppose the knowledge of Humane things nor yet deny but that we may be acquainted with their sayings as the Apostle himselfe and our Saviour was yea and that somtimes we make use of them too as occasion requires as I have done here though sparingly and but seldome and when it is that it be of great use as it was at those 3 times that Paul did use them and no more Act. 17.28.1 Cor. 15.33 Tit. 1.12 that I remember in all the Scripture Now this you see the Spirit teacheth and therefore it cannot properly be called Human-Learning especially in my sence that I have to doe withall which is to oppose that which is maintained to make men fitting to open the mind of God in his word which is by the learning of tongues and arts as of necessity wheras this is used but by the by and not to find out the Truth with but it being sufficiently before proved by themselves also It is the Spirits order to gaine there acknowledgement of it and this is no other learning but what every man without any Scholership as ye call it may attaine unto wheras that that is so much gloryed in is that a man is able aptly to speak according to art and knowledge in the Sciences and this is it by which men yet still are hatched and bred up Rev. 12.16.1 Tim. 6. to 12. Rev. 12.4 and this I beleeve was the meanes of bringing in all those abhominable errours that the Earth hath drunke in both in Doctrine and Practise and so have occasined those noysome lusts that drown men in perdition that the man of God is to flie as best beseeming the tayle of the Dragon and suting with this great woe which is further manifested by comparing the Ministers of Iesus Christ and those together Now what marks they be known by you may read in 2 Cor. 6. from the the 3. to the 11. verse where as in a Looking-glasse you may behold the true picture both of the one and of the other By them we approve our selves as the Ministers of Christ and give none occasion why our Ministry should be reprooved saith Paul In much Patience in Afflictions in Necessities in Distresses in strips in Imprisonments in Tumults in Labour in Watchings in Fastings by purenes by knowledge by long-suffering by kindnesse by the Holy Ghost by love unfeigned by the word of truth by the power of God by the armour of righteousnesse on the right hand and on the left by honour and dishonour by evill report and good report as dâ—ceivers and yet true as unknown and yet known as dying and yet behold we live as chastened and not killed as sorrowfull and yet alway rejoycing
THE SVFFICIENCIE OF THE SPIRITS TEACHING WITHOUT HVMANE-LEARNING OR A TREATISE TENDING TO PROUE HVMANE-LEARNING TO BE NO HELP TO the Spirituall understanding of the Word of GOD Written if it may be for the Silencing of such false and scandalous reports as have been rumored about concerning this Matter and also for the affording of true information to all such as desire to know the Truth By SAMUEL HOW Prov. 14.5 A Faithfull witnesse will not lye but a false record will speake lyes Esay 57.14 Cast ye up cast ye up prepare the way take up the stumbling blocke out of the way of my people Mal. 2.1 2. And now ô ye Priests this Commandement is for you if ye will not heare it nor consider it in your heart to give glory to my name saith the Lord of hosts I will even send a curse upon you and will curse your blessings yea I have cursed them already because ye do not consider it in your heart Mat. 11.25.26 At that time Iesus answered and said I thanke thee ô Father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and men of understanding and hast revealed them unto babes even so Father because thy good pleasure was such Luk. 16.15 Then he said unto them ye are they that justify your selves before men but God knowes your hearts for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God Mat. 11.6 And Blessed is he that shall not be offended in me See also Esay 29.14 and Rev. 2.24.25 Seen Allowed and Printed by us c. 1640. TO ALL SVCH AS LOVE THE TRUTH IN SINSERITY LIGHT AND UNDERSTANDING BE MULTIPLYED THROUGH JESUS CHRIST GODS Gracious Promise it is Christian Reader that by the * 2 Thes 2.8 breath of his mouth and the brighnesse of his comming he will reveale the Man of Sin and Sonne of Perdition Yet thus witnesseth the Spirit that when it shall so come to passe that the Viall of Gods wrath shall be ‡ Reve. 16.10 11. powred upon the Throne of the Beast to the darkening of his Kingdome and discovering of those strong Delusions whereby he hath long deluded the world that then the men of that throne shall gnaw their tongues for sorrow and shall blaspheme the God of heaven All which to me appeares to be fulfilled and made good concerning this following Treatise 1. that when as the Lord by his Word the breath of his mouth hath blown out some smoake of the bottomlesse pit which I conceive to be Humane-Learning which is so much magnified as being a helpe whereby to understand the mind of God This matter hath so vexed and tormented the men of that Throne that even He himselfe at whose request I was moved to open this portion of Scripture 2 Pet. 3.16 hath as I am credibly informed reported about this City that I made a Calfe meaning a false and unsound exposition and when I had done danced about it herein exposing not onely me but the very Truth it selfe which I in this point delivered to the derision and contempt and Table-talke of such as bad rather be deceived and beleeve their Learned Teachers as men call them on their bare word having the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of Glory with respect of Persons then to receive and justifie the Truth of God if the Messenger be weake and contemptible and his message in power much plainesse and demonstration of the spirit And not beautified with the excellency of speech and swelling words of mans wisdome which is enmity to God It crosseth and opposeth the simplicity of his way in the dispensation of the Glorious Mystery of the Gospell And therfore God hath said of it as Symon Peter said to Symon Magus * Act. 8 21 1 Cor. 1.19 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter But yet me thinks such men ‡ Ephes 5.4 as would carry the shew of Godlinesse should remember the Councel of the Apostle that such Carriages are things not seemly though for my owne part I blesse the Lord for it being to me a more strong confirmation that I have the Truth on my side For thus was ‡ Luk. 16.14 Jesus Christ our Lord served by the Wise and Learned Pharisees when as he taught them such a Doctrine as pleased them not And thus was Paul the Preacher of Righteousnesse dealt by of the leareed § Act. 17.18 Athenians even for preaching Jesus and the Resurrection Likewise I read â—n Heb. 11. that this in former times was part of the tryall that the Lord exercised his Witnesses withall even mockings vers 36. And therfore as our Saviour teacheth me I have in this case great cause to be glad and rejoyce for they having so served Jesus Christ my Lord and his faithfull followers then what am I that I should be one of that number that have so large †Mat. 5.12 incouragement and reward promised I shall therfore quietly passe by all such things and onely * Iob. 21.3 with Job in his distressed condition crave that he and all you that have done this thing will suffer me to speake and when I have spoken mock on seeing as the ‡ Iob. 12.2 Servant of God said Indeed because ye are the people onely Wisdome must dye with you so will I make bold to say to you also Yet for all his understanding and such others as heard me they fayled of their zeale for God and his glory in that they sought not to suppresse and throw down that Calfe of dishonour which must needs being an Idol be a very high provocation in the eyes of his Glory which he that put me upon this Exercise having excepted against it when it was finisht and with much passion manifested his great dislike thereof before many witnesses ought especially and was obliged to have done being then lovingly requested by a friend that was there present for the satisfaction of all that Assembly to Instance if not in all yet at least in some particular Scripture wherein I had perverted it seeing he had openly cast an Aspertion on all that I had said but neither he nor any of his Profession though many were then present did undertake this taske nor yet to this day hath He or any of them endeavoured it So it may appeare my Errour was not so great or none at all that they could prove or else their zeale to God and his Truth and their Charity to Me and othes very small And if there were a Calfe It was their Humane-Learning and wisdome which the men of this Throne set up and themselves danced about it whilest I to their great griefe and discontent was labouring with all the power and might that God assisted me with utterly to cast down grind it to powder and to blow it away with the word of God with the breath of his mouth Whether it be thus or no I commend now to the judgement
little David without Sauls Armour onely with a Sling and a Stone through the Name of the Lord may so wound great Goliah of Gath the enemy of God and his people as that he may receive his deadly wound and ly groveling on the ground to the dismayment of all the Host of the Phylistims and great rejoycing of the Israel of God and this the Stone that is hewen out of the Mountaine without hands is onely able to doe Therfore let all that feare the Lord take heed that they leane not to their own Wisdome but so much the more that any of us have Wisdome and Vnderstanding Memory and such like naturall parts above other so much the more let us be watchfull and carefull over our selves as knowing that the § Rom. 8.7 Wisdome of the flesh is enmity against God and is ready to but against the Spirit and now to draw to a Conclusion of all in the words of the Prophet †Isay 44.25 The Lord frustrateth the tokens of the lyars and maketh the Diviners madde turneth wise-men backward and maketh their Knowledge foolishnesse If any shall except against the matter for the rudenesse of it as that it is without forme or Learning all such are to know that it is but sutable to the whole argument and that if it should be otherwise I should condemn that in practise which I justifie in words and so make my selfe a trespasser Thus I commit this my labour with all those that out of love to the Truth shall seek information in this matter to the blessing of the most High and remaine an unfeigned welwiller of all them that love the Lord Jesus in sincerity The 25 day of the First Moneth 1639. SAMUEL HOW THE SVFFICIENCIE OF THE SPIRITS TEACHING WITHOUT HVMAN-LEARNING The text 2 PETER 3.16 As one that in all his Epistles speakes of these things in which are some things hard to be understood which they that are Vnlearned and Vnstable wrest as they doe also the other Scriptures unto their own destruction THESE Words that I am alotted to speake from at this time have respect as it should seeme to such things as the Apostle had spoken of Before which things seeme to me to be those that are contained from the beginnning of the second Chapter to the end of the thirteenth verse of this third Chapter and the foureteenth verse containes Peters exhortation strengthened in the fifteenth verse by his Brother Pauls writings who in all his Epistles speaks of these things as of the comming of the Lord Iesus and other things such as are herein contained among the which that is Pauls writings in his Epistles some things were hard to be understood and so indeed was the comming of Christ Iesus which it should seem was hard of them to be understood and that appeares by his earnest writing to the * 2 Thes â—2 at the beginning Thessalonians where he exorts them that they should not suddenly be moved neither by Word nor Epistle as it were from him as if the day of Christ were at hand for there were many things to be fulfilled first as a departure from the Faith the rising up the perfection and the consumption of the Man of sinne and this it should seeme though he had told them of it before yet to them it was hard to be understood which had the true Learning here meant which things they that were Unlearned and Unstable perverted as they did other Scriptures to their own destruction Therfore the great thing here to be minded is to find out what this learning is that Peter here intends And Secondly who they be that are the unlearned ones and by that we shall easily find who they be that are the perverters of the Scriptures to their owne destruction For this end therfore I will consider what this learning is not and then what it is What Learning it is not It is not Humane-Learning That I may not be misconceived about it I will here lay down my understanding in it and by Humane-Learning I doe not mind the knowledge and understanding of our own language which every man of what tongue soever he be might in some measure be taught of another as the Parents teach their Children and they learne of them of this there is a naturall necessity as the Apostle saith How shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard Rom. 10.14 now the hearing there mentioned must needs be a naturall hearing seeing it is set before Faith and this hearing must needs be the understanding of the sound of words spoken Now thus Peter and Iohn and all the rest learned the foolish things spoken of 1 Cor. 1.21 and thus I acknowledg that there is none but in some measure have this learning and must of necessity have it to understand Gods mind in an ordinary way But by Humane-Learning all along in this matter which I oppose It is the knowledge of Arts and Sciences divers Tongues and much reading and a persisting in these things soe as there-by to be made able to understand the mind of God in his Word this is it that I condemn from the word of Truth for being that by which any is made able spiritually to understand the mind of God which the Aposte saith cannot be attained to by the words which mans wisdome teacheth all which these excellencies are said to be 1 Cor. 2.13 So that by Humane-Learning I doe here understand that whereby certain men doe excell and are farre above and beyond other ordinary men and in this sense doe I understand that the Councel Judged Peter and Iohn to be no such learned men Act. 4.13 For we in common speech doe oppose a learned man to one that otherwise can read and write in his own tongue though he doe not understand the grounds of his own speech as the other man that is learned doth as may appeare by the Booke called the English School-master And so such learning doe I not conceive to be here meant which I conclude for these Reasons 1. Because that then Peter must of necessity condemn himselfe 1 Reason for he was a Man that in the * Act. 4 13. Councels knowledge was such an unlearned man and so must needs himselfe lye under that blame that he laves upon others therfore Humane-Learning is not here that which he intends 2. Because Humane-Learning is a ‡ Col. 2.8 rudiment of this world 2 Reason hence is it that our Saviour acknowledgeth that his Mysteries were hid from the ‡ Luk. 10.21 Learned but they were not hid from his Disciples for unto them it was § Mat. 13. Col. 2.8 given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdome And the rudiments of this world are not after Christ the Apostle tells us therfore Humane-Learning cannot be it that Peter here minds 3. Because the naturall man cannot †1 Cor. 2.14 perceive the things of God 3 Reason but
can benefit him and if nothing then not this thing in question but that it must needs be that we must be fooles to it and what is the true marke of a foole but to be ignorant and without knowledge therfore we call them fooles in the world and so is it here the best way for a man not to deceive himselfe is to know nothing of this learning nor any other fleshly excellencie that so he may learn true wisdome and the Apostle doth me thinks sufficiently confirme this advice of his against all exceptions the Lord knows saith he that the thoughts of men be vaine Men think highly of their own conceits this way yet if no man will take this his councell for wisdome in this kind yet the Lord concludes the truth of it and he knows the thoughts of men to be vaine that think Humane-Learning some helpe but let them think what they will the Lord is against them in it for he knows that it is sure that they are deceived for his thoughts be not as mans thoughts Now another Cause that confirmes me in this Conclusion is because that wheresoever the Apostle honours the Spirits teaching 5 Reason and preferres it usually he at the same time casts contempt upon this learning as is to be seen in many places ‡ 1 Cor. 1.17.18 Christ saith he sent me to preach the Gospell not with the wisdome of words least I should make the crosse of Christ or the Gospel of Christ of none effect where we see that for good reason he rejects the very wisdome of words in preaching of the Gospel and that 〈◊〉 least if he should have done otherwise he should have made it of no effect because he was to declare the sincere word without the least mingling as if he should say such manner of pâ—eaching is a foolish preaching but it is so onely to them that perish but to such as are saved it is the power of God without what man expects and therfore he * 2 Cor. 11.2.3 saith againe he was jealous over them with a godly jealousie for he had prepared them a pure Virgin for Christ but saith he I feare that as the Serpent beguiled Eve but how through his subtilty so your minds should be corrupt that is putrified and infected from the sincerity that is in Christ This we see was Pauls feare that while he was absent their minds should be withdrawn from the foolishnesse of the Gospell and the simplicity sincerity and truth thereof and this they should be withdrawn from by the subtilty of Satan that old Serpent in his instruments the false teachers this he feares because of their fleshlynesse that was in them which was ready to yeeld to their wiles by reason of their subtilty that way for by faire words and flatteries they deceived the “ Rom. 16.18 hearts of the simple and with this their craftinesse they lye in wait to ‡ Ephe. 4.14 deceive thus contemptuously doth Paul speake of these things in opposition to the true learning as is further to be seen in many places of which I will name one more and that from the Apostle Peter in his second Epistle chap. 1. verse 16. For we saith he followed not deceiveable Fables when we opened unto you the power and comming of our Lord Iesus Now such names as these are doth the Apostle choose to cast on mans excellencies as in divers other § 1 Tim. 1.4 and 4.7 Tit. 3.9 places which declare what contempt is cast on such learning in opposition to the Spirit of God Now one thing more which I conceive observable for the proofe of this point in hand 5 Reason is drawn from the 2 Cor. 2.10 The Spirit searches the deep things of God and 14. The spirituall man discernes all things if then the Spirit searcheth the deep things of God and that discernes all things what need we more and with this agrees the Apostle Iohn †2 Ioh. 2.27 saying And ye need not that any man teach you save as that Anoynting teacheth you Then I conclude That we need not that any man teach us not the Master nor any of his followers for the Disciples of Jesus Christ doe learne as the truth is in him and of him and they have received the Spirit of God that they might know the things of God therfore we may well be without any mans learning and have no need of it and so the point is cleare and plain That such as are taught by Gods Spirit without that Learning do truly understand the Word I judge it necessary also to be understood of the Reader what I doe understand by human wisdome as well as Human-Learning by human wisdome I doe understand whatsoever appeares excellent in mans understanding as he is left without Gods spirits teaching this the more excellent it is to him that is carnall so much the worse it is therfore it is said of such by the Apostle that whenas they professed themselves to be wise then they became fooles Rom. 1.21 And saith our Saviour If the light which is in thee which I mind to be meant of mens understanding and wisdome be darknesse Mat. 6.23 how great is that darknesse So that by mans wisdome I understand whatsoever seems excellent to him with which he would honour God withall that he is not the Author of as eloquence and faire speeches and any thing in that way such as the Greeks sought after as men doe now adayes This I do the rather differ from Haman-Learning 1 Cor. 1.22 because it seems to me that the Scripture differenceth them Acts 22. and the difference rightly understood may prevent just exception and give light to the right understanding of the whole matter for this wisdome is made by the Apostle and that rightly Rom. 6.7 to be enmity to the Spirit of God and impossible to submit to it it is so contrary Now followes to be answered such Objections as are made against it as first Object 1 That of Paul in 1 Tim. 3.6 That a Bishop must be no young Scholler lest he being puffed up fall into the condemnation of the Devil Answer The Scholership Paul means here is the teaching of the Spirit whereby the man is made sound in the Faith for that learning onely will make men low in their own eyes as is before declared and he that is unsound in the faith will ever be found the most lofty and puffed up in his own conceit and so be rejected of God as the Devil was though he was in heaven with God yet being puffed up he was rejected of God and so * 2 Pet. 2.4 cast down to hell to which example Paul here alludes as I conceive and that rightly for a Bishop in the Church is in respect of his spirituall state and place in favour and fellowship with God and that in Heaven as the whole Book of the Revelation describes the Church to be Now such
as by the Church should be chosen to that state being young Scholers that is not soundly taught in the truth by the Spirit he is in great danger the more other learning that he hath so much the more to be puffed up This I beleeve was the cause of Diotrephes * 3 Ioh. 9.10 pride he wanted this Scholership and that caused him to seek the preheminence And this whatsoever our great Scholers think of themselves is the cause of the high conceits that they have of themselves and their knnowledge and understanding above others that want their learning even this because they be but young Scholers if that in the Schole of Christ and thene is it they are so puft up with the vain glory of their fleshly learning that they think that none that are not as themselves are fit to be their fellowes and so know not now that they be wretched poore miserable blind and naked though they conceive themselves to be rich and have need of nothing as did the ‡ Rev. 3.17 Laodiceans and so indeed are fallen into the condemnation of the Devil as being rejected of God for he resists the proud and such as are puft up and gives grace to the ‡ 1 Pet. 5.5 humble and such as are low in their own eyes Now whether these men Humanly learned be they that are puft up or low in their own eyes as meane as he that is unlearned I leave to all that have eyes to see to looke into it and so to judge whether they are not yet to learne Pauls Scholership Further I say it is here to be minded that if it should be Human-Lerning that is here meant then Paul should teach Timothy for to teach the Church to chuse such Scholers as had more learning then had their Master Christ Iesus Now this some say is blasphemy and threaten me sorely for it Answer I Answer them that considering Christ Iesus as God according to the Divine nature so he is God over all and so gives all things Acts 17.25 and so he is the § Iam. 1.17 giver of every good gift and so Human-Learning and wisdome are †Rom. 11.37 of him and through him and so much but that men are maliciously bent they might discerne that I in this argument had not to deale with him as God but as the Minister of God administring for the good of his body according to that Luke 4.18 where he saith the spirit of the Lord hath Anoynted me that I should Minister c. and so in this argument he is by the Apostle set forth as a Man ‡̶ Act. 2 22. Iesus of Nazareth a man approved of God and as such a man so administring I doe-still affirme and that with great confidence that He was unlearned in this consideration and without the learning that we speake of Isay 50.4 and so the tongue of the Learned that was said to be given Him is * Isay 61.1 interpreted by the same Prophet to be the Spirit of God for saith He the Spirit of the Lord hath Anoynted me that I should preach from whence is plaine that Christ Iesus was learned of the Father to preach by the Spirit without Human-Learning See further of this in the Epistle noted with this marke ‡ ̶ and so much is plain to them that can beleeve the Scriptures from Iohn 7.15 where the Jews admire saying How comes this man to know the Scriptures seeing that he was never learned from whence it is plain that as he was a Man he was unlearned in the letters of the Scriptures though as God he knew all things and by a divine power not Human-Learning so much as his own naturall tongue by letter Luk. 4.7 as in the Synagogue he could take the Book and read and this doubtlesse was one cause why the Jewes are said to be astonished at the bearing and seing of Him as appeares Math. 13.54 c. Luke 4.22 so that from all this my affirmation remaines true and good that if Human-Learning should be it that is there meant by the Apostle then he was to teach the Servant to be above his Myster whenas Christ Iesus himselfe * Mat. 10.5 saith It is enough for the Disciple to be as his Lord and he being destitute of Human-Learning his Disciples may well be without it also without any offence and yet preach the Gospel too Now if notwithstanding all this there be them that will take ‡ Act 6.11 Stephens accusers place and still accuse me of Uasphemy as they did him c. though it may be they may say true words as that I said that Iesus Christ was without Human-Learning and so apply it to him as God whenas I spake of him as Man they may there see themselves ranked among the number of them that are called by the Spirit of God false witnesses as walking in the steps of those envious persons even such as were alwayes the murtherers and betrayers of Christ Iesus and his servants and they that are such may be likened to them that being full of envy ‡ Act. 13.45 spake against those things that were spoken of Paul contrarying them and rayling on them Marke it they denyed what he taught but disproved it not but spake against it and rayled on the person and so left not till they had bin a meanes to expell them out of their Coasts so was he and such like measure is still to be expected to befall such as tread in his steps but it is to be minded that envious ones are the movers of it and so leaving of it I come to another exception which is Object 2 How such as are unlearned wil be able to stoppe the mouthes of gainsayers seeing the Apostle requires of a § Tit. 1.11 Bishop that he should be able so to doe Answ I Answer that it is not the Apostles intent that the mouthes of gainsayers should be stopped by the knowledge of tongues and arts but that way that himselfe directs 1 Titus 9. which is by sound doctrine or by wholsome doctrine so then to goe any other way then thus stoppe their mouthes is both an unsound and an unwholsome course and it were farre better in my judgement and that according to Paul that their mouthes should be left open then that they should be stopt after that manner and it hath not profited them in the spirituall meaning of the word that have bin exercised therin so now it is high time that we honouring the teaching of the Spirit should refuse to meddle with such as goe another way to work then by it to declare Gods mind to us because it alone is sufficient to stoppe the mouthes of all gainsayers * Act. 6.10 They were not able to resist the Spirit not the tongues and arts by which he spake for he used none of them for the weapons of our warfare are not carnall and so are tongues and arts and such like
then come to make themselves equall with them of the * Rom. 12.26 lower sort the foolish vile and unlearned for those be the true ‡ Isay 51.1 heyres of it and therfore it was not in vaine that Iames sayd †Iam. 2.5 Hearken my beloved Brethren hath not God chosen the poore he well saw that the rich and carnall were dull of hearing of this matter but yet he tells them God hath chosen the poore of this world to be rich in Faith and upon this consideration it is that he wisheth the § I am 1.9.10 Brother of high degree to rejoyce in that he was made low that is brought in his mind and account equall with the poore accounting himselfe never the higher for any such excellencies and so the Brother of low degree to rejoyce in that he is exalted that is that he was made a †Rev. 1.6 King and Priest unto God and was set in heavenly places with Iesus Christ so as the one is made low in respect of any fleshly considence he hath in such things the other is exalted being out wardly poore by being in Christ Iesus and so they both meet in one but now by reason of the smoke that is risen out of the bottomlesse pit and that the Devil is * Ephes 2.6 cast out of heaven and all his Angels with him to the Earth which Angels were the fallen ‡ Rev. 12.9 Starres that he drew after his tayle that now he hath by reason of them hatched since a Religion in the world as that he would have the wise the rich the noble the learned the onely ones and the poore must be beholden to them whenas this is like himselfe directly to oppose Iesus Christ so as that we may truly say with the Prophet Lord who hath beleeved our report or to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed Object 7 But it is yet further Objected to be the manner of such as canot themselves attaine to that excellencie that is in another to disparage that in them that so they might advance themselves Answ This I confesse is a carnall course that such as are themselves fleshly are subject to take and it may as well be my fault as anothers But yet I professe in the presence of the Lord that I doe not allow my selfe in any such course Neither doth such an exception as this beseeme a man that is led by the Spirit of Truth for to make against any servant of God that professeth opposition to such things as professing to be led thereto by the word and Spirit of Truth For it savours strongly of the flesh and is too sutable to the practise of Reprobates whose practise is to take things in the evil part wheras love by which all the Saints should judge judges the best of things till such time it can espie any cause so to doe And for the lifting up of my selfe to be sure if I so doe Gods word it is that he will plucke the mighty from his seat and then you may be sure that according to his word my fall will be farre greater then my exaltation can possibly be and therfore it were best for all such as so conceive to commit the judgement to the Lord and themselves judge nothing before the time not speake no more presumptuously let not arrogancie come out of your mouth for the Lord is a God of knowledge and by him enterprises are established But yet after this manner of reasoning carnall men may overthrow the whole Gospell For whereas the Scripture shews that Iesus Christ was without forme or beauty or any such thing wherfore he should be desired the carnall man will soon say no other but such a one would be so foolish as to part from honours riches credit and such like to indure so much sorrow and need not and whereas the Apostle * Phil. 2. saith that he tooke on him the forme of a servant the would soon answer and good reason why because he could not be a Master and wheras it is said he chose the poore that will they say he must needs do and the foolish for none of the rich and wise would be so simple as to follow him and wheras he saith love not the world nor the things in it good cause why will they say for such fooles as you know not how to get it or else to be sure you would love it as well as others And thus have I given you a glympse how that by this manner of carnall arguing we might overthrow our own salvation and sit down in the very vale and shadow of death as full of darknesse as this argument is destitute of Truth And thus having Answered to such exceptions as I know of made against this truth I come now to such Uses as it shall afford us 1 Vse The first is To discover to us the depth of the great Woe that the world lyes under set forth and “ Rev. 9. from 1. to 11. revealed to us in which the word of the Lord is fulfilled and men see it not and this you know the Scripture in sundry places makes the depth of a judgement as in Hosea Ephraim is said to have here and there gray hayres and yet he saw them not and in this we know was the strength of that ‡ 2 Thes 2.11 great Iudgement that men should confidently take lyes for truth this is there made the depth of their woe 1 Tim. 42. And the like is manifested § else where by the same Apostle declaring that though they speake lyes yet they were so seared in their Consciences as that they felt nor feared no danger that they were in no more then the man that lying drunke did though he lay sleeping on the top of the Mast Pro. 23.35.35 and so ready to be drowned yet he feared it not and yet such is the case the Sun and the Ayre being darkened their condition must needs be wofull and yet this is the case of the inhabitants of the Earth that they cannot be brought to beleeve but that they are in a very good case though that the light of the glorious Gospel which is the Image of God doe not shine unto them as * 2 Cor. 4.4.6 saith the Apostle Now that by which this Sun is said to be darkened is the smoke of the bottomlesse pit and that we shall find to be the glory and power of the false Church called by the name of the Bottomlesse pit And that this may the better appear we find many “ Isay 6.4.1 King 8.11.12 with 15. Rev. 8 place in the Scripture manifesting the glory of God and his power to be his smoke Now because God hath smoke in his Temple so hath Gods adversary in his Temple also or rather his bottomlesse pit After his smoke in Revel 9.2.3 there follows power and if you looke in the 7 8 and 9. verses there is their glory and
other Scriptures to their own destruction and so this is another observation That such as are destitute of the Spirits teaching though furnish with Human-Learning are the perverters and wresters of these and all other Scriptures to their own destruction The truth of this Conclusion appeares plainly confirmed to us in the * Math 5.21 Pharisees as our Saviour declares in many particulars plainly discovering the “ Math. 23. from 16. to 19. blindnesse of these learned teachers in esteeming and preferring of things lesse in themselves above such as were farre greater as the proportion is made betwixt the gold of the Temple and the Temple and the Altar and that which was offred thereon and so blind were they that they counted that most holy which the Temple and the Altar made to be holy and the same ‡ Math 15. from 3. to 7. else â—here appeares that for all their learning they taught directly against the mind of God in his word We may see the same farther commended to us in Bartesus one full of all * Acts 13.6 suâ—â—â—â—â— in this kind but a turner from the Faith and not to it and a perverter of the straight wayes of God The like is to be observed in ‚‘‚ 1 Tim. 1.7 those of whom Paul speaks that would be Doctors of the Law and yet knew not what they said nor whereof they â—ffirmed so wise their Humane-Learning did helpe to make them Now from the word of God good Reasons may be observed further to confiâ—â—e this as first Reas 1 Because nothing but the Spirit of God can bring any to the true knowledge of the word of God and so saith the ‘‚ 1 Cor 2.12 Apostle We have received the Spirit of God that we may know the things that are given us of God and Peter * 2 Pet. 1.20 21. tells us that no Scripture is of any private interpretation but in opposition to that the Apostle sets the Spirit and opposes it to the will of Man and so declares that the Spirits interpretation where it is is a publique interpretation and not private and that Men though indued with great learning having not the Spirit of God can give but a private interpretation according to the Apostles intent let men judge what they will though it be the Pope and all his Councels of Cardinals and Bishops and the rest of that learned rabble yet they being destitute of the Spirit can give but a private interpretation according to the Apostles mind whereas if a Man have the Spirit of God though he be a Pedler Tinker Chimney-sweeper or COBLER he may by the helpe of Gods Spirit give a more publique interpretation then they all for as “ 1 Cor. 15. â—â— 2. Paul saith of love the same is to be said of the Spirit though men did speake with the tongues of Men and Angels and knew all secrets and had all knowledge yet this is but as a sounding brasse or tinckling Cymball without the Spirit Reas 2 Another Reason is because this was one end of Iesus Christ His comming into the world that they that * Ioh. 9.39 see might be made blind and this clearely appeares in the Pharisees those learned wise men that counted the common people as accursed because not knowing the Law and they themselves seeing blessed ones and therfore “ Ioh 7.48 say they Do any of the Rulers or Pharises beleeve in him as touching that the Rulers and Pharises must needs know the Truth whenas these were blind guides as saith our Saviour and so much ‡ Ioh. 9 4â— these took notice of that he so accounted hem and so also those that were blind in mans sight as was the blind man there spoken of He sees the gift of God and beleeves in Iesus Christ for his salvation and yet they refuse the knowledge and light of this seeing § ver 29. man and upbraid him for being born in sins and for going about to teach them scorning that such learned men as they should be taught of such as he was though Iesus Christ hath made him learned and given himselfe for him Another Reason is rendered out of the words 3 Reason Because such are unlearned and unstable ones for as before we have seen such persons are destitute of the true learning so also are they in an unsetled and unstable condition seeing as the Prophet †Psalm 51. witnesseth that the Spirit is the establisher neither can they be rooted and established in the Faith according to the Apostles * Col. 2.7 saying seeing they be not founded on the rock Christ Iesus but on â—he sands of Human-Learning arysing from a fleshly mind destitute of the Spirit of Truth for they have not learned as the Truth is in Iesus Againe 4 Reason it must needs be so that such must pervert the Scriptures because it is impossible for them to goe beyond their pronciple Now their principle is errour as the following words declare and by it they be guided and lead even the whole heape of them as bigge as it is and these shall satisfie mens lusts and turne them from the Faith unto Fables as the “ 2 Tim 4.4.4 Apostle long agoe hath foretold For such as are themselves of the flesh turn all things to fleshlinesse for that is it which they savour for to the uncleane all things are uncleane their Consciences being defiled as ‡ Tit. 1.15 witnesseth the Apostle hence was it that whenas our Saviour § Ioh 2.29 bade the Jewes to destroy this Temple meaning his †ver 29. body they themselves being carnall understood him to speake of the Temple of Ierusalem And so the Capernaites whenas Iesus Christ tells them He will give * Ioh. 6. them of His flesh to eate they being carnall cannot beare it and all because they be destitute of the Sririt vers 53.60.63 Ioh. â— 1.3.4 for it was in a spirituall sense that he intended it And the like is to be seen in Nicodemus a Pharisee and so a learned man being a Teacher and a Ruler of the Jewes this man for all this whenas Iesus Christ tells him that he must be borne againe otherwise he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God he seeing no further then into the naturall birth demands how that could be that a man when he is old should enter into his Mothers wombe and be borne againe so destitute was ne of the spirituall meaning of the mind of Iesus Christ in his word Another Reason me thinks included in the words is Because such Persons are usually vessels of wrath 5 Reason prepared to destruction therfore they drive all to the same end to which themselves belong the Gospell is the savour of life to life in them that are saved but it is the savour of death to them that perish Yet would I not from hence have any to conclude that I deny salvotion to learned men as some
in effect have affirmed as I heare of me for the Scripture is against it as is already before declared from the * 1 Cor. 1.26 Apostle though there be not many But yet this for certaine is the worst worke that a carnall man can undertake to meddle with the Scriptures seeing that he abuseth them and that to his own destruction for the word is a Sword with two edges which whosoever that is carnall meddles with it will run into his heart to ‡̶ Rom. 2.5 harden it against the day of wrath And so I conceive the point is cleare and plain That men without Gods Spirit though furnisht with Human-Learning doe wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction Object 1 But here it will then be demanded how shal we know whether we have the Spirit of God or the spirit or Errour Answ I Answer that the Spirit of God is a sufficient witnesse to it selfe seeing that the Spirit is Truth Now this agreeing as it doth with the word needs not any other testimony of it selfe because it is the witnesse of God and that is the greatest as saith Iohn the †1 Ioh. 5.6 Spirit beareth witnesse for the Spirit is Truth and againe ‡ 1 Ioh. 3.24 hereby we know that he abidoth in us even by the Spirit that he hath given us Next it is to be known by its operations and works as first it savours spirituall things they that are after the flesh saith the Apostle †Rom. 8.5 savour the things of the flesh and they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit And againe the “ vers 10. Spirit is life for righteousnesse sake and is said to be of a § vers 11. quickning and an enlivening nature for righteousnesse The fruits of it are further manifested in ‡̶ Gal. 5.22.23 other places Now these things being sound in us do witnes for God against errour though it set it selfe up with never so high a hand And yet here methinks I heare the worldly Object 2 learned men saying to me as did * 1 King 22.24 Zedekiah when went the Spirit of God from them to such as I speake of Answer To this I Answer That with Zedekiah such persons doe but begge the question and take for granted like him that which they never had for that could never depart from him which was never with him therfore though he were great and his companions many * vers 6. as is ‡ shewed and that Micaiah was but one poore Prophet alone and hateâ— of the King yet he had the Spirit of God whenas all the other were led and ruled by the lying Spirit and though Iesus Christ and his learned ones cannot be beleeved of the great and honourable Prophets of the world but by Zedekiahs shall be smitten on the Cheek when by them this question is demanded of the Lords Prophets yet this answer may be given them that whenas they come to hide themselves in secret and to be ashamed of their visiâ—n and that the ‡ Rev. 15.1 seaven last plagues come to be fulfilled spoken of in the Revelations then they shall find the truth of the testimony that is borne against them though in the meane time the servants of the Lord be committed to prison there to eate the bread of affliction and the water of affliction for their testimony Object 3 But though it be granted that Human Learning is no helpe to underst and the mind of God yet is it not usefull to furnish us with words to expresse our selvs in the delivery of the Gospel Answer I Answere with Paul that the whole Scripture is given of God and is profitable to make the man of God absolute and throughly § 2 Tim. 3.16 furnished to every good worke whence I conclude that if the Scripture be perfect and absolute for every good worke then it is so for that so that then there is no need of mans wisdome to helpe the Ministers of God And so yet further saith the Apostle that he †1 Cor. 1.17 preached the Gospel not with wisdome of words if not with wisdome of words then I conclude they were needlesse and so much the next words declare least saith he I should make the Crosse of none effect And againe I Bretheren saith he when I came unto you came not with the * 1 Cor. 2.1 excellencie of words or of wisdome shewing unto you the Councel of God but frees himselfe from it denying that his preaching stood in the “ vers 4. inticing speech of mans wisdome but on the contrary in the plaine evidence and demonstration of the Spirit And afterwards he gives the ‡ vers 5. Reason for it that their Faith should not be in the wisdome of men by which it seems it is subject so to be if that were used And so we find that indeed it is and not in the power of God by the plain demonstation of the Spirit and though in all this one would think the Apostle had said enough in this matter for the manner of the delivering of the truth yet for all this he hath not done with it but minds it yet * 1 Cor. 2.13 againe saying Which things as we know them so we also speak not with words which mans wisdome teacheth And so againe he ‡ Cor. 4.19 slightly passeth over the words of the false teachers as not worth the knowing or regarding therfore he saith when he comes he will know not their words but their power And so againe he condiscends to the false teachers so farre as to confesse that he was “ Cor. 11.6 rude in speaking but not so in knowledge by all which places it plainly appeares that mans wisdome is to be rejected even in speaking the word of God and that none are to affect any excellence that way but to content themselves even with the use of the naturall abilities they have without any art or skill in learning further Object 4 But Apollas is said to be an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures Acts 18.24 Answ And so doubtles was Paul and Moses and those mentioned in Acts 19. and yet as I have before manifested that whenas all these came to receive the faith they left forsooke and contemned all that so do I beleeve was it here with this man that whenas he came to be taught further in the knowledge of Christ that he then became more and more sutable to the rudenesse and simplicity of preaching the Gospel aswell as Paul for never afterwards do we reade that he was commended by that term for such manner of excellencie was proper to the Law and not to the Gospell in any degree But Secondly take it for granted that he persisted in his eloquence yet it appeares that it was such as he had obtained by being mighty in the Scriptures and this also further justifies a former Answer that the Scripture alone is sufficient